Army appoints new GOCs, senior officers as insecurity bits harder

By Paul Michael

The Chief of Army Staff, Lt Gen Faruk Yahaya has approved the posting and appointment of some senior officers of the Nigerian Army across its formations and units.

The appointments and redeployment were made on Thursday 28, Director Army Public Relations, Brig Gen Onyema Nwachukwu, said in a press statement released to journalists on Friday.

Gen Nwachukwu said some Principal Staff Officers of the Army Headquarters, General Officers Commanding, Corps Commanders, Commandants of training institutions, Brigade Commanders, and Commanding Officers, amongst others were included in the redeployment exercise.

He said the posting was done as part of Gen Yahaya’s effort to reposition the Nigerian Army for operational efficiency and proficiency.

“Some of the senior officers appointed as General Officers Commanding (GOCs) are Major General UT Musa from Headquarters 81 Division to Headquarters 82 Division and appointed GOC, Major General TA Lagbaja from Headquarters 82 Division to Headquarters 1 Division and appointed GOC, Major General OC Ajunwa from Nigeria Defence Section Brasilia to HQ 81 Division and appointed GOC, while Major General AS Chinade was redeployed from Depot Nigerian Army to Headquarters 2 Division and appointed GOC,” Nwachukwu said in the statement.

According to him, “The newly appointed Army Headquarters Principal Staff Officers include, Maj Gen OW Ali, from Headquarters Command Army Records to Army Headquarters Department of Army Administration and appointed Chief of Administration (Army) Maj Gen S Muhammed, from Defence Headquarters to Department of Army Standards and Evaluation and appointed Chief of Army Standards and Evaluation (Army), Major General JA Ataguba from Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Defence Headquarters and appointed, Director Peace Keeping Operations, Major General AA Adesope from Headquarters Nigerian Army Finance Corps to Defence Headquarters and appointed Chief of Defence Accounts and Budget, Major General US Mohammed from Army Headquarters Department of Administration to Nigerian Army Resource Centre and appointment Senior Research Fellow.”

Other senior officers affected in the redeployment are Major General PB Fakrogha, from Defence Headquarters Garrison to Defence Space Agency and appointed Director Policy Plans and Research; Major General MO Enendu, from Nigerian Army College of Logistics to Defence Headquarters and appointed Director Psychological Warfare; Major General AE Attu from Defence Headquarters Department of Defence Training and Operations to Defence Headquarters Garrison and appointed Commander; Major General BE Onyeuko from Defence Headquarters Directorate of Defence Media Operations to Defence Headquarters Department of Logistics and appointed Director Procurement

Nwachukwu listed the newly appointed Corps Commanders as “Major General AM Alabi, from Nigerian Army Ordnance School to Headquarters Nigerian Army Ordnance Corps and appointed Corps Commander Ordnance; Major General A Mohammed, from Nigerian Army Farms and Ranches Limited and to Headquarters Nigerian Army Electrical Mechanical Engineers and appointed Corps Commander Electrical Mechanical Engineers; Major General E Akerejola from Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport to Headquarters Nigerian Army Corps of Transport and appointed Commander Corps of Supply and Transport; and Major General AA Fayemiwo from Nigerian Army Welfare Holdings Limited by Guarantee to Headquarters Finance Corps and appointed Chief of Accounts and Budget (Army).”

He said other Senior Officers appointed include Commandants of Nigerian Army Training Institutions and Brigade Commanders.

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“Senior officers newly appointed as Commandants of Nigerian Army Training Institutions are Major General PI Eze, from Defence Headquarters Department of Procurement to Nigerian Army Ordinance School and appointed Commandant; Major General AA Adeyinka from Army Headquarters Department of Army Logistics to Nigerian Army College of Logistics and appointed Commandants; Major General PP Malla from Army Headquarters Department of Army Administration to Depot Nigerian Army and appointed Commandant as well as Brigadier General UT Otaru from Defence Headquarters to Nigerian Army School of Supply and Transport and appointed Acting Commandant.

“The newly appointed Brigade Commanders are, Brigadier General DH Ndahi, from Nigerian Army Resource Centre to Headquarters 4 Brigade and appointed Commander; Brig Gen FS Etim from Amphibious Training School to Headquarters 6 Brigade and appointed Commander; Brigadier General EA Orakwe from Headquarters 6 Division to Headquarters 19 Brigade and appointed Commander; Brigadier General JO Are from Army Headquarters Department of Army Standards and Evaluation to Headquarters 3 Brigade and appointed Commander, amongst others,” he added.

While announcing the appointment, Gen Yahaya directed all the newly appointed senior officers to redouble their effort and commitment to duty in tackling the security challenges bedevilling the nation.

Meanwhile, reports said terrorists on Thursday night attacked a military checkpoint in Zuma Rock between Zuba, Abuja and Madalla, Niger State along the Abuja – Kaduna highway.

The terrorists were said to have launched the attack on the Army while trying to gain access into the Federal Capital Territory (FCT), which resulted in a heavy gunfire exchange with the military.

It is not yet clear if there were any casualties, however, eyewitnesses said one soldier was killed before the military were able to repel the attack which lasted for about 30 minutes.

The sources said the incident led to a gridlock on the highway.

“They took control of the area for about 30 minutes and kept on shooting before heading towards Kaduna axis of the expressway after being repelled by the soldiers.

“About 20 minutes after the terrorists left, soldiers from Zuma Barracks rushed to the scene and took full control. A patrol team of policemen also arrived at the place. One soldier was killed during the attack,” the source said.

It was gathered that the terrorists were said to have gained entry to the area through the back of the rock to attack the military operatives on duty.

The police and military authorities were not immediately available to respond to the incident.

The attack has increased tension and anxiety within the FCT, which ought to be the most protected city in the country. Our correspondent gathered that many residents are currently contemplating on relocating from the FCT temporarily pending the return of normalcy.

This latest attack on a military installation comes days after bandits attacked a unit of the Presidential Brigade Guards, killing at least three soldiers in Bwari Council Area of the FCT.

There have been high alerts from all security agencies to their commands, formations and units that terrorists and bandits have infiltrated the FCT and other parts of the country.

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